NEF Scholarships and Funds

Each year, the NEF Criteria and Eligibility Committee conducts an established screening and selection protocol then submits the names of those scholars recommended for scholarships to the NEF Board of Directors. The following list represents the current scholarships and funds.

AJN/Thelma Schorr Scholarship The American Journal of Nursing Scholarship, established for masters or doctoral graduate nurses who exemplify characteristics of a nursing leader who plans to exercise the "voice" of nursing through speaking or writing, someone who is an advocate for nursing in the public arena. AJN renamed their scholarship in 2018 to honor Thelma Schorr.

Evelyn J. Barclay ScholarshipThis scholarship is given to a doctoral applicant in nursing education or research.

M. Elizabeth Carnegie African American ScholarshipIn the past, Dr. Carnegie contributed to this fund each year with other donors to give a scholarship. Former recipients often give to this fund. On her death (2008), Dr. Carnegie left $125,172.06 to NEF to be used explicitly for "black nurses enrolled in doctoral programs in memory of Dr. M. Elizabeth Carnegie." Dr. Carnegie was an educator and author in the field of nursing, known for breaking down racial barriers. She was the first black nurse to serve as a voting member on the board of a state nursing association. She was later president of the American Academy of Nursing and edited the Journal of Nursing Research.

Columbia University – Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association Inc./J. Margaret Ada Mutch ScholarshipA permanent scholarship established when the Columbia University-Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association, Inc. donated $50,000 for an NEF scholarship. Preference is given to a Columbia alumnus. This scholarship honored Ms. Margaret Ada J. Mutch’s 100th birthday. Miss Mutch served in World War II as a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, directing nursing in Army hospitals in the European Theater of Operations. With a master’s degree, she earned the positions of assistant director of nursing and assistant professor of nursing at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York City. She was instrumental in helping to forge the bond between Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University starting back in the late 1930’s. She had the vision to understand educational trends and the needs of nursing.

Cynthia Davis Sculco ScholarshipInitiated in 2012 with a $50,000 donation, this permanent scholarship is dedicated to doctoral study in nursing education. Cynthia Sculco is a dedicated NEF Board member who has served in many leadership capacities with NEF, including President, Vice-President, Chair of Long Term Development, and Co-Chair of Criteria and Eligibility.

M. Louise Fitzpatrick Nursing Scholarship AwardM. Louise Fitzpatrick, EdD, RN, FAAN, was a 1970 NEF Doctoral Scholar and a longstanding member of the NEF Board of Directors, She served as the Dean of Villanova College of Nursing from 1978 until 2017. The scholarship award, established in 2015, by Dr. Fitzpatrick’s request, is given to graduate Nursing PhD or Nursing EdD candidates with community home/health focus or Nursing PhD or Nursing EdD candidates specializing in historical research. Upon her death in 2017, the president of Villanova University announced that in honor of Dean Fitzpatrick, the College of Nursing will be named the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. Dr. Fitzpatrick bequeathed $30,000 to her scholarship fund making it a permanent scholarship named the “M. Louise Fitzpatrick Nursing Scholarship Award”.

Margaret Gould Tyson ScholarshipDr. Tyson was a very active NEF Board member for many years and the Dean at Hunter Bellevue School of Nursing. On her death (2008), Dr. Tyson’s scholarship is given annually to a doctoral applicant in nursing education.

Isabel Hampton Robb ScholarshipAn award sum designated by the Board is given to the doctoral degree applicant who receives the highest evaluation score. Isabel Hampton Robb was an American nurse theorist, author, nursing school administrator and early leader. Hampton was the first Superintendent of Nurses at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. She wrote several influential textbooks, and helped to found the organizations that became known as the National League for Nursing, the International Council of Nurses, and the American Nurses Association.

Jane Eleanor Knox ScholarshipIn April 2018, Jane Eleanor Knox bequeathed Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. $50,000 to establish a scholarship for doctoral nursing students in her name. Dr. Knox, a 1970 NEF doctoral scholar, obtained both her Master's and Doctoral degrees in Nursing Education at Teachers College Columbia University in New York. She also held a certification as a Nurse Practitioner from the University of Pittsburgh. After deciding to move to Pittsburgh, she worked at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing from 1971 until her retirement. Ms Knox served as a Cadet Nurse during WW II. This scholarship award will be given to a doctoral student who has illustrated a unique commitment to Nursing and clearly demonstrated leadership potential.

Liesel M. Hiemenz ScholarshipA permanent scholarship in memory of Ms. Hiemenz a nurse from Germany. Preference is given to applicants interested in public health.

Eleanor C. Lambertsen ScholarshipThis fund was started the year of Ms Lambertsen's death. Dr. Margaret Tyson, on her death (2008), left $20,000 to this scholarship that is given annually to a doctoral applicant in nursing education or administration. Eleanor Lambertsen’s concept of team nursing proposed in 1953, revolutionized nursing's and health care's organization. Dr. Lambertsen was named as the American Hospital Association's (AHA) first director of the division of nursing in 1958. She was appointed Dean of Cornell University-New York Hospital School of Nursing in 1970. That same year, she became the first nurse to serve on the board of Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Estelle Massey Osborne ScholarshipThis award consists of donations from Freedmen's Hospital School of Nursing, Alumni Club. Given annually to an African American Master's degree applicant. Estelle Massey Osborne was the first African American nurse in the U.S. to earn a master’s degree and in 1945, she became assistant professor at New York University, the university’s first African American instructor.

Isabel McIsaac ScholarshipAn award sum designated by the NEF Board is given to the master's degree applicant who receives the highest evaluation score. Isabel McIssac was the first chairman of the original memorial fund created in Isabel Hampton Robb’s name. From 1915-1954 two funds, the Isabel Hampton Robb Fund and the Isabel McIssac Memorial Fund, were administered by the Isabel Hampton Robb Memorial Fund Committee. In 1954 with the addition of a third fund the name of the committee was changed to Nurses Educational Funds, Inc.

Mathy Mezey ScholarshipIn 2013, the John A. Hartford Foundation, Inc. created a permanent NEF Scholarship for $50,000 in honor of Mathy Mezey, EdD, RN, FAAN, a noted international geriatric expert. Funds from this scholarship will be used to award nurses engaged in graduate geriatric nursing programs.

Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. ScholarshipIn the past, donations from former NEF scholars accumulated in this fund. This permanent scholarship is given to masters and doctoral graduate nurses for proven excellence in nursing service and scholarship.

Lucy C. Perry ScholarshipPreference for funds from this scholarship is given to applicants studying at Indiana University and interested in public health.

Miriam M. Powell ScholarshipSeeking to discover a meaningful career led Miriam Powell to enroll in the Cornell University-New York Hospital School of Nursing. In 2004, after a gratifying career in nursing, Ms. Powell decided to support a scholarship for one nurse each year with an annual gift to NEF. These scholarships were referred to as the Miriam M. Powell Fellowship. In 2015, the Fellowship Fund was made a permanent scholarship. Ms Powell’s scholarship is dedicated to clinical nursing leadership and scholarship.

Philip D. Raso ScholarshipA permanent scholarship established in 2016, dedicated to the memory of Philip D. Raso by the Ann G. & James B. Ritchie Foundation. This scholarship is awarded to masters and doctoral graduate nurses for proven nursing excellence in leadership and management, in honor of Philip Raso’s sister, Rosanne Raso, MS. RN, NEA-BC, an NEF Board Member, and Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell.

Laura D. Smith National Student Nurses' Association (NSNA) ScholarshipThe NSNA Scholarship honors Laura D. Smith. Ms Smith was initially a clinical nurse and after earning her master’s degree joined the staff of the American Journal of Nursing ultimately becoming Senior Editor in 1959. Her particular interest was in championing the accomplishments of student nurses by means of the “Student Page” in the AJN. She was instrumental in the birth and early development of the NSNA. The award is given to a master's or doctoral applicant who was an NSNA member in their undergraduate program and has proven excellence in nursing scholarship and service. NSNA contributes to this award annually.

Henry B. Spencer ScholarshipHenry Spencer, a dedicated Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. Board Member and long-time Treasurer of NEF, manages the NEF portfolio of investments that support NEF scholarship giving and its mission. Henry Spencer is an advocate of nursing and sage advisor. He has been Vice President of Investments at American Independence Corp. Geneve, and Independence Holding Company. The Henry B. Spencer scholarship is dedicated to leadership in nursing and health care.

Barbara L. Tate ScholarshipInitiated in 2011 on the death of Barbara Tate. Dr. Tate served as President of NEF and was a long time NEF Board member and member of the Finance Committee. Barbara Tate, RN, EdD. was a former Dean of the College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island. Dr. Tate dedicated her long career to the advancement of nursing and nursing education. She was the director of Research and Studies Service at the National League for Nursing, New York, NY and editor of Nursing Research. Dr. Tate was the recipient of two Fulbright Scholarships. She taught at many schools and colleges of nursing in the United States and abroad. The Barbara Tate Scholarship was initiated by Henry Spencer, past Treasurer of NEF and a colleague of Barbara Tate.

Judith G. Whitaker ScholarshipA former NEF Scholar recipient and ANA Executive Director, the scholarship was started with $50,000. Ms. Whitaker added $5,000 each year until her death. This scholarship is given to a doctoral student majoring in nursing research or organizational study.

Named Funds Soon to be made Permanent Scholarships

Geraldine Labecki FundCreated in 2016, from the bequest of Geraldine Labecki, former Dean of Clemson University's School of Nursing from 1965 to 1980, Clemson University's first woman collegiate dean. This scholarship fund is dedicated to graduate nurses exhibiting exceptional leadership skills.

Nurses Educational Funds, Inc, encourages all those who have ever been grateful for the care, commitment, and dedication of a nurse, to donate today to the Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. an organization solely devoted to raising money to support graduate nursing education.

If you would like to write a check to Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. please mail it to: NEF 137 Montague Street, Ste. 144 Brooklyn, NY 11201